Personal Launch Report - MDARS 2022-09-24

[gdjsky01]

The day started at 5:30PM PDT as my phone alarm went off. As usual I contemplated being just too tired or not feeling well and going back to bed. I always do that. Especially on Saturday mornings. Especially when I know by 10am it'll be touching about 30C... out in the high desert and by 11AM 35. Heat and me don't like each other. I can always put more clothes on, but I can only take so many off before I get arrested. However I also know I'd feel like a heel later in the day. And why build em' if you ain't gonna launch them?

Car was packed the night before. Just grab a hat, glasses, and POOF, 2 hours and 10 minutes later I pulled up next to the MDARS equipment trailer. Weather other than being hot, was perfect! Virtually no wind! None. Not even a little to help with evaporative cooling.

First up: My "Stand (WAY) Off Scale" scratch built British Redtop Missile.
Build thread here:
https://www.rocketryforum.com/threa...pad-style-build-the-redtop-aa-missile.173495/

Even though I should not have been, I was still nervous. People commented on how great it looked and I knew, if I planted it, they all be groaning even if I took it in stride. I was so nervous I forgot to put a Jolly Logic Alt One in it.

Loaded with an Estes F50-6 blue thunder motor. On my Rockwell Jack Stand launcher with rail. A Jolly Logic Chute Release set for 400'
MDARS-20220924-007.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr


Weeeeeeee off we go! TOTALLY STRAIGHT. Not even a spin! The chute slipped out of the bundle at apogee. Which was a good thing. With almost no wind it came back very close! Interestly, or more to the point, scarey, the Chute Release still had the pin attached. That could be because there was no tension to pop it out... could be.
MDARS-20220924-017-2.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr
Very Very Happy! Next flight maybe something smokey.

 

[gdjsky01]

My next flight was my E-Limination E loaded with the infamous E15-4. This rocket is built from spare parts left over from other long gone rockets. It was DESIGNED to be expendable. And a good thing as you are about to see. The E15 lived up to its reputation.

MDARS-20220924-053.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr


Hmmm.... that flame front looks strange...
MDARS-20220924-054.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr


Ahh... it is strange.
MDARS-20220924-055-3.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr


BTW: The rocket is quite flyable still.

 

[gdjsky01]

I loaded the Ascender with an E16-0 and an E16-6. The launch was great. Staging was good (with a lot of flaming I might add) but I missed the photo of the staging. Yeah the fin decals are my own custom vinyl


MDARS-20220924-159.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr


Also using a Jolly Logic Chute release (I have two), it work fine! The flight was not perfectly straight. But clawed its way to 769' according to the Altimeter One.
MDARS-20220924-165.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

 

[gdjsky01]

I tried three times to light a G64W in the Pemberton 3FNC and all three times it spit the ignitor. See that reload was built, oh... maybe 5 years ago. Time to take it apart and sand the grains. I gave up on it.

MDARS-20220924-058.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

 

[gdjsky01]

Next I maidened the Rocketry Warehouse 4 inch Nike-Smoke. Again built like 5 years ago, and I finally painted it and completed the av bay in the nose cone a few months ago. There is a 1/4-20 all-thread epoxied into the nose cone that the sled rides on. RW's nose cones have long shoulders making them perfect for altimeters in the nose as the vent holes are well past the transition. I've done the same with my Formula 75, Formula 98, and Sublime (all bought from RW before Madcow bought them out).


MDARS-20220924-189.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

It was a totally great flight!! Remember it is motor-eject and an Archetype cable cutter at 500'. I used an 434I223 skidmark cut from 14 to 7. However it was more like a 10 as for a few seconds after apogee the rocket spun along long axis sort of fluttering down before finally the charge went off. And the cable cutter, which has NEVER failed me, did its thing. The Missileworks RRC2+ beeped out 1380'. I was STOKED after that flight.


MDARS-20220924-197.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr


Mo


MDARS-20220924-198.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

And mo
MDARS-20220924-199.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

 

[gdjsky01]

Finally I launch a scratch built Virgin EGGstra-galactic. It is made from a Quest Courier and my own inkjet printed paper skins. I launched it on a B motor from 1972. Perfect flight.

MDARS-20220924-212.jpg by Jeffrey Gortatowsky, on Flickr

 

[gdjsky01]

That's a wrap. I never got the 3FNC off. I could have messed with some 'starter enhancements' but at 35C I had pretty much reached my limit.

I also brought the Formula 75, loaded with an H178DM, but when I got it on to the rail I got nothing from the Altimeter when I switched it on. Again, not wanting to screw with it in the heat, I decide to call it a morning. I'll take the G64 apart and clean out the starter gunk. And I'll figure out the F75 electronics issue.

The photos I took, and did not reject, are all here:
https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjA8tcj
Launches out near Edwards AFB are special and the people there are the BEST

Feedback welcome as usual.

 

[smstachwick]

I like that Ascender. I’ve been looking to burn a few E16-0s and that looks like that would be the ticket if it weren’t out of production. Currently I’m bouncing back and forth on various ways to convert my Star Orbiter, but if I can’t get that to work I may spring for an AeroDactyl TS.

 

[gdjsky01]

When I was watching the rocket (instead of getting images) I noticed it LOOKED like the E16-0 cato'd but still lit the sustainer. I can not say for sure. However I felt the E16-0 burnt for a MUCH shorter time than I was expecting. Things happen fast. So it could just be the rocket was (is) heavy and E16-0 spent most of its time overcoming inertia. It only got 769 feet whereas ROCKSIM predicted over 1200. Still it could just have been an aggressive flame front. I vented the stages as I was getting tired of failures to stage. Upon inspection there was nothing that 'seemed' amiss with the E16-0. Unlike the E15 which was just a hollow burnt tube. Since I got it back... I'll try try again.

 

[smstachwick]

When I was watching the rocket (instead of getting images) I noticed it LOOKED like the E16-0 cato'd but still lit the sustainer. I can not say for sure. However I felt the E16-0 burnt for a MUCH shorter time than I was expecting. Things happen fast. So it could just be the rocket was (is) heavy and E16-0 spent most of its time overcoming inertia. It only got 769 feet whereas ROCKSIM predicted over 1200.

Not having access to your RS setup and not being present, I can’t say for sure what happened. But I will say that RS is only as accurate as the data you feed into it. Better double-check it, make sure something isn’t completely out of whack. Without flight data, precise diagnosis of other problems is a long shot.

Maybe look into a FlightSketch Mini or similar in the future?

Still it could just have been an aggressive flame front. I vented the stages as I was getting tired of failures to stage. Upon inspection there was nothing that 'seemed' amiss with the E16-0. Unlike the E15 which was just a hollow burnt tube. Since I got it back... I'll try try again.

 

[lakeroadster]

Thanks for the re-cap. It's been fun watching your redtop build. It's almost like having skin in the game so seeing photos of the flight is the icing on the cake.

Well done and congratulations. You are a steely eyed missile man.

 

[rfjustin]

That Nike looks fantastic.

 

[Tech 68]

Launches out near Edwards AFB are special and the people there are the BEST

100% correct on both comments...

 

[Initiator001]

I like that Ascender. I’ve been looking to burn a few E16-0s and that looks like that would be the ticket if it weren’t out of production. Currently I’m bouncing back and forth on various ways to convert my Star Orbiter, but if I can’t get that to work I may spring for an AeroDactyl TS.

Not meaning to hijack Jeff's thread...

If you can wait for awhile Estes will be releasing their SO LONG kit. It is a minimum diameter two-stage model using the Estes black powder 29mm motors.

 

[smstachwick]

Not meaning to hijack Jeff's thread...

If you can wait for awhile Estes will be releasing their SO LONG kit. It is a minimum diameter two-stage model using the Estes black powder 29mm motors.

I remember seeing that in the John Boren thread, that looks like it’ll be fun!